Simply put, Braulio drinks like carmalized Arolla and Scots Pine, the native trees in that area of the Alps. I’ve heard people say it tastes like a Christmas tree in a glass, for me it is the definition of terroir. A shining example of what Amaro is all about, firmly rooted in its land and surroundings.

It is unique from most amari for the fact that it the herbs used are macerated in a grape distillate, or grappa as it is known in Italy. This is not the only amaro to use grappa as its base but it lends a naturally deep complexity to the finished product over those that use grain alcohol. After maceration it is typically aged for two years in oak barrels further enhancing its unique properties and depth.

Only four, among the thirteen ingredients used in its preparation are known: gentian, juniper, wormwood, and yarrow. The rest are kept secret.

At 21% abv this amaro is rich, with notes of chamomile, sandalwood and pine, predominantly bittersweet front front to back. It was first produced in 1875 and named after Monte Braulio, one of the 23 main peaks of the Livigno Alps.

Drinking it straight from the bottle crosses my mind almost every time I pick it up. Its great on its own neat, but with a splash of soda water and orange it is equally enjoyable. During the summer try pouring it over crushed ice, zesting an orange peel over the top for a bittersweet and refreshing treat.

If you are wondering how to employ this fine beverage in your cocktails remember what mom always told you; less is more.

Bars and restaurants around the U.S. are already begining to find ways to properly showcase this powerful amaro.

Nico Osteria in Chicago has crafted a refeshing twist on the negroni called Nico and Featherweight in Brooklyn has conjured up an alpine twist on an old fashioned called The Saw Tooth.

Greenbar Craft Distillery is the same family responsible for the line of TRU vodka and gin, as well asIXÁtequila,Slow HandWhite Whiskey,Crusoe SilverRum, FruitLab Liqueurs and the infamous BAR KEEPBitters line, making them the largest distributor of organic spirits on the market, and the first carbon negative distillery in the world!

Those of us participating are donating $1 for every negroni we sell to the charity of our choice during the first week of June (2nd-8th).

My home base, Pizzeria Orticais donating all proceeds to the American Diabetes Association Family Retreat program. This cause is near to my heart since my little sister Stacy was diagnosed with diabetes when she was very young.

She’s been a catalyst of inner strength for me. Growing up with diabetes is no joke. Come help out by drinking negronis at Pizzeria Ortica this week.

…And what is Amaro, really? Where did it come from? Why is it so damn sexy ? For some it’s an acquired taste, for others, they just “get it” because, clearly, they were born with a palate like a boss.

I was not born with a boss-like palate, so when I think back to the first sip of the stuff I ever tried, I remember thinking… what the hell is this!? It was bitter, it was sweet, it was aggressive and just confusing as hell. Dare I say, I was not an immediate fan of the stuff in general. What struck me over time was how big the curve was- how long it took me to get my palate to the point where I actually craved a progressively bitter taste.

Boss Palates: Fred Dame MS, Spreti Valente CS and Michael Jordan MS

The more I drank the more addicting it became. The gambit of flavors, sweetness and bitterness level of the amari in Italy and across the world is profound. Hopefully if you are new to this stuff, the information you get here will help you ease your way in so you can appreciate them properly. I know most of us veterans think its cute to drop a rookie off in Fernet-land, for shock value. It’s pretty hilarious to see the look on someone’s face, but that’s just plain rude… and I’m just plain guilty.

Amaro in Italy has a storied history, being born out of apothecaries and touted as a medicinal remedy for everything ranging from upset stomachs to malaria. Amaro, the word itself means “bitter” but there is a lot more to these complex beauties aside from their bitter quality.

Amari are considered aperitifs or digestives depending on the flavor and ingredient profile. Some can help settle a full stomach, while others are geared to crank up your appetite, again depending on the flavor and components of the product.

Typically they are lower in alcohol but can range from 16%-40%.

Some are made from macerating local herbs, flowers, roots in distilledgrape pomace, while a majority appear to be based with a neutral grain spirit.

If you’ve drank enough wine in your life, or hang out with nerds like me, you may have heard the french term “terroir“. We use it to explain the connectivity of the land to a wine. For example a chardonnay from Chablis is going to taste a hell of a lot different than a Chardonnay from Napa, wine making practices aside. Since the soil and climate are so vastly different from place to place you wind up with a product that exhibits the qualities of the land in which they were born and connected to.

For the most part, Amaro is very similar when it comes to terroir. Most are made from local plant life so they wind up exhibiting the flavors of the land in which they were produced. A good example is pictured above, Jacks favorite Amaro Braulio. Made in the pine tree riddled lands of Bormio, a ski resort town situated in the northeasten side of the Valtellina district of Lombardia in central, Northern Italy. This area borders the Swiss Alps so the herbs that stand out in this Amaro are very piney indeed –Terroir.

Though the term Amaro is primarily reserved for Italian products, nearly every country creates a similar products or liqueurs. Germany has Krauterlikor, i.e. Jägermeister. France has Amer-Picons among many others, and Croatia produces a lovely bitter by the name of Pelincovac. America unfortunately has been better known for things like schnapps or artificially sweetened liqueurs like Hpnotiq. Thankfully that’s changing quite rapidly. We now have things like Grand Poppy, a 100% organic, California style Amaro made from native herbs like poppy and gentian. Oregon has Calisaya which is based on an old recipe from Italy and Colorado is home to one of the first producers of domestic Fernet.

We are seeing quite a few quality products popping up here at home… at long last. Ill be posting detailed notes on each of these products and many more throughout the world in the near future.

We’ve come a long way since the days of Jager-bombs, Peppermint Schnapps and Goldschläger. Remember when 99 Bananas actually seemed like a good idea?

Ok, well maybe that was never really the case but none the less, we are in the midst of an educated alcohol revolution.

From craft cocktails to craft beer, wine and spirits to bittersweet liqueurs, we are seeing vast improvements on quality and consumer awareness.

Maybe not to anyone’s surprise it seems like the United States has been a little behind the palate for most of the gorgeous liquid offerings of the world.

Most still think Fireball is “hot-shit” for lack of a more appropriate term, but some have already begun to explore the vast offerings of quality indigenous beverages throughout the world.

So maybe you haven’t been introduced to the beautiful world of Amari yet , or maybe you’ve read a blurb about them on Tasting Table online. Perhaps you’ve dabbled with one or two at Pizzeria Ortica in Costa Mesa, maybe you and your hipster friends still think its cool to bust out your Fernet coins at a bar (kinda cool actually), or maybe you’ve been drinking them with your Italian Grandmother since you started walking.

Wherever you’re at I hope to serve as a catalyst for education and discovery in all things liquid, with of course as much focus on Amaro, and anything remotely resembling this “Italian liquid Gold”.